Concentrator



J. A. JOHNSON.

(No Model.)

GONGENTRATOR.

No. 400,216. Patented Mar. 26, 1 889.

N. PFIERS. PlwmLnMgnphar. Washinglun. o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH A. JOHNSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA;

CONCENTRATOR;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,216, dated March 96, 1889.

Application filed August 31. 1888.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH A. JOHNSON, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Concentrators; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a novel machine for concentrating ores in which both coarse and fine pulp appear.

It consists of a longitudinally-vibrating iron table, the surface of which is divided into narrow channels from end to end, each channel having a series of depressions or basins, and in combination with this of a series of reciprocating rakes or scrapers, which act to carry the heavier material toward the upper end, where it is discharged, all as hereinafter described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of the invention, Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section. Fig. 2 is a plan view.

A is a table, made preferably of iron and about thirty-two by seventy-eight inches in area. This table is inclined from the head toward the foot, and this surface is subdivided from end to end by thin iron ribs 13, about an inch high, forming narrow lanes, each about four inches in width. These lanes have a series of depressions or basins,O, extending from end to end, each depression being about eighteen inches long and an inch and a half deep in the center or lowest place. The table is suspended upon links or supports E,and is moved backward by the action of the rotary cam F, fixed to a driving-shaft, G, and acting against a lug or projection upon the table, so as to move it in the direct-ion of its lower end. When the point of the cam passes so as to release the table,.it is thrown in the direction of its upper end by springs or gravitation, and is stopped with an abrupt movement by buffers at H, this operation being well known in this class of concentrators, and the effect is to drive the pulp or granulated ore toward Serial no. 284,299. (No modeli) lanes or channels, and, flowing down, fills the basins in its progress and carries the gangue away with it from the foot of the table. There are thus three contending forces at workthe throw of the table, tending to carry all the material toward the upper end by reason of the concussion; the attraction of gravitation, which settles all the heavier portions to the bottom, and the flow of the water to carry the lighter portions off. By this action the sulphurets, free gold and silver, and heavier valuable portions are gradually carried toward the head of the table, gravitation sinking them through the lighter sand, while each successive stroke sends them forward and downward beneath the sand, which the flowin g water causes to move slowly toward the foot of the table. In orderto assist in this separation-to loosen up the pulp and prevent its becoming packedand in order to carry the heavier and valuable portions toward the upper and discharge end, I employ a series of automatic rakes or scrapers, I. These scrapers are attached to crossbars J, fixed upon longitudinal side bars or frames,

K, so that the scrapers will lie between the vertical ribs B, and when they are moved will act along the bottoms of the basins or depression s. The side bars, K, are actuated from the crank L through the medium of the pitmen M and N. Guide-rods or slides 0 travel in the guides P, fixed to the top of the frame,-

and thus steady the reciprocating movement of the pitmen M and N. At each end, upon,

pins or anti-friction rollers R from the rails K are fitted to travel. The bottoms of these channels are approximately of the same curve as the depressions or basins C, and it will be seen that when by the action of the crank L these bars are moved toward the upper end of the machine the pins R, following the curvature of the channel Q, will cause the rakes or scrapers I to travel along the bottoms of the depressions or basins 0, thus raking any heavy material toward the upper end of the depression, carrying it above the riffie into the next depression, while by stirring up the material it is prevented from packing and the water is enabled to carry away the lighter I lOO gangue. The stroke of the rakes is equal to the length of the depressions or basins, and the heavy material is thus assisted up from one basin to another by this positive movement of the rakes in addition to the concussive action of the table, which tends to carry the sulphurets in the same direction.

In order to prevent the rakes from passing back in the bottom of the depressions, I have shown the bars S pivoted above the curved depressions Q, and having the end toward the head of the table sufficiently heavy, so that it rests upon the proper support and closes the upper end of the channel Q. As the guidepin R reaches the upper end of the channel, it follows the upward curvature of the channel, and, raising the pivoted bar S, passes out upon that portion of the guide at '1, thus e11- abling the rakes at the upper end to carry that portion of the sulphurets which are in the upper basin to a point where they will be discharged from the head or upper end of the concentrator by the action of the rakes and the concussion, the sulphurets falling into a vatwhich is placed at that point ready to receive them. The hinged bars S both drop into place, so as to form a continuation of the surface T, over which the guides R will pass, thus carrying the rakes back above the level of the basins or depressions, and when they reach the rear or lower end of their stroke they are allowed to pass into the curved guide Q again through the open channel at U. By this construction the rakes are enabled to travel toward the head of the table, scraping along the bottoms of the basins or depressions, but are raised out of the basins at the upper end of the stroke, and during their return are held above the level of the basins, so that they act in only one direction.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a concentrator, an inclined table having its surface divided into longitudinal lanes or channels, the surfaces of which are formed into wave-like basins or depressions, and a series of rakes or scrapers adapted to move through said channels and depressions, in combination with a mechanism whereby said rakes or scrapers are drawn through the basins toward the upper end or head of the table and returned, substantially as herein described.

2. An inclined concentrating percussive table having lanes or channels, with the surfaces formed into wave-like depressions or basins, rakes or scrapers adapted to travel from end to end of said depressions, and side bars to which said scrapers are attached, in combination with cranks and connecting-rods by which the bars are actuated, the guidechannels Q, and the oscillating latches or bars S, by which the scrapers are returned after each upward stroke out of contact with the depressions or basins, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH A. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

S. H. NoURsn, H. 0. LEE. 

